Helmets for contact sports, such as those used in football, hockey and lacrosse, typically include a rigid outer shell, an internal pad assembly coupled to an interior surface of the shell, a faceguard or face mask, and a chin protector or strap assembly that removably secures the helmet on the wearer's head. The internal pad assembly can include a number of pad elements which may be formed from absorbent foam, air, gel or a combination thereof. Some pad elements are positioned within an air-tight housing and provided with inflatable bladders such that air can be utilized as an inflation fluid to adjust the dimensions of one or more of the pad elements. In many instances, at least one valve is provided on the internal pad assembly to facilitate the introduction or removal of air from the bladders. Openings may be provided in the helmet shell and an extent of the valves may be inserted through the openings so the bladders can be adjusted, including while the helmet is being worn by a player.
Because end portions of the valves extend through the shell openings and are exposed to the outer surface of the shell, they are susceptible to impacts and wear over time. Conventional valves are firmly press fit into the shell openings to avoid accidentally dislodging the valve from the shell and/or from the internal pad assembly. In some conventional helmets, fitment of the valve within the opening in the shell also functions to secure or partially secure the internal pad assembly to the inner surface of the shell. Because conventional valves are firmly press fit into the shell openings, removing the internal pad assembly from the shell is cumbersome and time consuming, and in many instances can result in damage to the valve and/or the internal pad assembly. Removal of the internal pad assembly and incidences of valve damage increase when the helmet is worn in inclement weather conditions, including cold temperatures.
In addition, the chin strap assembly includes a central protective element that generally overlies or extends below the helmet wearer's chin, and opposed elongated strap portions that extend outward from the central element and that are releasably coupled to the helmet. Typically, the protective helmet is provided with helmet attachment portions and each strap portion is provided with a buckle having a buckle attachment portion that is releasably engageable with a respective helmet attachment portion. One example of such a buckle is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,056,151, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Often the buckle is configured to be moveable along the strap portion to adjust the sizing and fit of the chin strap assembly to accommodate the wearer's anatomical features.
Because the buckles are typically secured to an exterior of the helmet, the buckles are exposed and often subjected to numerous impacts when the helmet is worn during the course of play. The buckles must therefore be durable and impact resistant to ensure the chin strap remains properly secured to the helmet during impacts. To obtain the necessary strength and durability characteristics for the buckle, metal is often preferred as the primary buckle material, however, there are some drawbacks to its use.
Features and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.